People in NW Russia to Benefit from Health Information Line

A family doctor advice hotline developed in Estonia will make its international debut under an agreement signed in St. Petersburg.

The project, financed by the EstLatRus program in the European neighborhood and partnership instrument, will help patients in Russia communicate better with their GPs.

"The goal is to increase availability of medical advice by telephone, internet and other means, using ICT solutions in the border regions of Estonia and Russia," said Tanel Mätlik, project manager from the Eesti Abikeskused non-profit, which signed for the Estonian side on November 17.

The Estonian side developed the new forms for the service, based on a similar service available in Estonia by calling the telephone number 1220.

Among other benefits attributed to the service, it is available around-the-clock, provides primary health consultation and information even to those who may lack health insurance, and reduces the workload for GPs and specialists.

The project budget is 333,330 euros, 90 percent of which comes from the EU. Besides the non-profit, the Estonian partner is the town of Kohtla-Järve.